Were you told as a kid to clean your plate? Me too. Our parents may have thought this was good advice at the time. But I’m here to tell you it’s not. You should disregard it. With all due respect to our parents, it’s not helpful to the rampant obesity problem that exists today.

And don’t worry that some kid in a third world country will starve to death at your expense because you didn’t eat everything on your plate. That logic is obviously flawed too. Hey, they were probably just trying to get you to eat your veggies.

So unless you manage your portion size and avoid over-eating, you shouldn’t worry about cleaning your plate. Ultimately you should eat to 80% full. This means before you feel full. Duh!

It will take some trial and error but the best advice I can offer is to take less food and eat slower. Your brain and belly need a chance to catch up to your bulging eyeballs, so relax.

Slow down. Take your time. Breathe. Enjoy your food and the company of whoever you are with. And put your phone down.

I am not trying to suggest that you should waste food. If you have leftovers, save them for another time. But finishing your meal for the sake of cleaning your plate is not an option if you want to improve your health & wellness. Especially if you are trying to lose weight.

I often write and talk about “eating clean”. Is eating clean and cleaning your plate the same thing then, just said a little differently?

Answer: NO!

So then what is eating clean?

Eating clean is eating food in its most natural state. Foods that are grown and raised naturally. Avoid added sugar, salt, and preservatives whenever possible. The more that food is “touched” or “processed” the worse it becomes for you. The nutritional value declines and the calorie content and unhealthy fat levels increase.

This includes the many ingredients that you can’t pronounce or define. If you can’t read it, don’t eat it.

It also includes how the food is prepared. For example, go for grilled instead of fried. Choose a low sodium option. Get your dressing on the side. Opt for 100% whole wheat instead of the white flour version. Eat raw or steamed veggies instead of tempura-style or the more common option that’s sauteed in butter. Lightly or unsalted nuts are a better choice than honey roasted. And have a sliced apple instead of a slice of apple pie.

And regarding food prep, understand that restaurants are trying to make your food taste as good as possible. This means that your restaurant meal will typically contain a much higher caloric and unhealthy fat content then if you prepared it yourself. So it would be wise to ask to have your food prepared a certain way and eat less. And you should definitely skip the appetizers.

You can either eat clean or gain weight – the choice is yours. Here are some additional ideas to help you clean things up:

• Cut out all sugar including artificial sweeteners and “diet” drinks.
• Minimize salt intake (and white flour).
• Eat more fruits & veggies.
• Go grilled, not fried.
• Eat less red meat.
• Minimize restaurants and definitely skip the apps.
• Step away from the buffet.
• No more “fast food”. If there’s a drive-thru, keep driving!
• Maintain portion control (but make sure to eat enough – don’t starve yourself).
• Drink a lot of water.
• Snack smart by eliminating processed foods (and removing “junk” food from the house).

For more info, check out previous posts on Foods To Avoid and Foods To Eat.

Thank you for sharing your time with me. I’d love for you to let me know what you think by leaving a comment. Is the content valuable and helpful? Did anything resonate? Will you take action? What else would you like to see in future posts?

If you know someone that can benefit from this content, I’d be eternally grateful if you would share this with them. And if you like what you see, you can SUBSCRIBE for automatic updates, LIKE US on Facebook, and spread the word about www.thin2win.net with your friends, family and social circles.